The story of Michael Peterson, a crime novelist accused of killing his wife Kathleen after she is found dead at the bottom of a staircase in their home, and the 16-year judicial battle that followed.
Colin Firth stars in the HBO Max limited series entitled “The Staircase,” the story of crime novelist Michael Peterson accused of murdering his second wife, Kathleen (Toni Collette). In the bustling town of Durham, North Carolina, in 2001, Michael summons paramedics after he finds his wife, bloody and contorted at the base of the staircase in the couple’s expansive home.
In the aftermath of Kathleen’s untimely death, the police zero in on the spouse – their usual and customary response to investigations dealing with domestic incidents. Documentary editor Sophie Broussard and director Jean-Xavier (Vincent Vermignon) – especially the former – advocate for Michael’s innocence when almost no one outside the family does. While filming the documentary, Sophie somewhat unexpectedly falls in love with Michael.
Peterson’s conviction in 2003 was overturned in 2011 when he was granted a new trial as a result of tainted blood spatter evidence and a perjured witness. Michael Stuhlbarg turns in yet another fine performance as David Rudolf, Peterson’s defense attorney, who deftly tempers his skills as a litigator with a realistic view of the legal landscape at hand.
Keeping up with the extensive cast of children from Michael’s marriages and their spouses requires a bit of concentration. Nonetheless, their bickering and opposing perspectives regarding what actually happened rings true, reminiscent as it is about so many family disputes – albeit usually addressing less weighty matters.
To the extent the series offers surprises, it comes in the form of an interesting theory put forward by Peterson’s next-door neighbor, Lawrence Pollard (Joel McKinnon Miller), an expert on the behavior of owls. Pollard’s suggested version of events is consistent with feathers found at the crime scene and the nature of Kathleen’s head wounds. This represents the strongest element of the production and, had it been explored further, might have livened things up considerably. In addition, a little-known legal device called the Alford Plea comes into play in 2017 for those who may be aficionados of the ins and outs of defense tactics.
Throughout it all and into the present, Peterson has maintained his innocence. Now 79, Peterson lives in a ground-floor apartment in Durham with his first wife – after breaking up with Sophie, who wanted him to move to Paris with her.
Created by Antonio Campos, the drama based on real-life events does prove intriguing by capturing many of the traditional elements of a true crime narrative. Unfortunately, “The Staircase” ultimately falls short of expectations – perhaps simply because it is often unremarkable – a particularly noticeable deficit given the quality of the cast and production values. Viewers interested in a more detailed account of the proceedings should check out the Netflix documentary, filmed concurrently as both the defense and detectives search for clues surrounding the bloody body found at the bottom of the stairs.
Now available on DVD
